Vogue 1282: Stripe redo

First, I just want to say thank you to all of you who left feedback via the poll on my previous post. I was so pleasantly surprised that most of you (94%) liked the mismatched stripes. I also reviewed this on Pattern Review and the response was very positive again.

But…. I…. just…. couldn’t…… Argh! My inner perfectionist just couldn’t-shouldn’t-wouldn’t rest easy. And then I saw The Material Lady’s Drape Drape 2 tunic with perfectly matched stripes and that finished my waffling on it. Begin digression: And speaking of Drape Drape patterns, I traced off the Drape Drape 2 No. 4 Asymmetrical Top pattern, graded up through the waist and hips and am really disappointed because the L/XL sizes with my changes fit my daughters. Not me. The XL size has 33″ measurement for 38″ hips. Uh… the last time I had 38″ hips I was a 16 year-old teenager with an eating disorder. I can’t imagine the endless hours of exercise I’d need to get down to that size. So, no Drape Drape clothes for me. I’ll stick with Donna Karan! End digression.

So I unpicked stretch triple stitches (Pia has the record, btw…) and made some changes. First, I deliberately off-set the stripes down the CF like a checkerboard.

And then I fixed the centre back seam and matched those stripes from the high hip to the hem. It cost me about 3cm in lost width, but I’m happier – so much more satisfied! – with the result.

It is still beautiful, and if it doesn’t drive you crazy, it is worth it! It is all about you when it comes to sewing your own clothes, right? As for the sizing, when I traveled to Japan, I comforted myself by buying accessories and shoes as nothing in the clothing stores would fit. I also bought kimono fabric rolls =D

Oh! Now I feel bad.
I am nowhere near the Japanese pattern sizing but have tried to just check them against an existing pattern I know fits and ‘fiddle’ from there. It doesn’t stop me feeling like an outsized elephant but I do get to try some interesting patterns😉